Same Love
by shortpeopleproblems
Summary: A boy is teased for being gay even though he isn't. A girl seems popular and like she has a good life, but she doesn't. What will happen when they meet? T because of some minor swearing and I rate all my books T :) BTW: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE COMMENT IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME I LOVE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM!
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone!

I thought of this story while listening to the song "Same Love." by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Hope y'all like it! As always, enjoy!

-8tickles

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I drag myself home, beat-up and bedraggled from another day of school. My lower lip is swollen and bleeding. My eye is as black as the mascara worn by all the slutty girls at school. How will I explain this to my mom again? I tell her I have friends. I tell her we're teenage boys and that's what we do. We beat each other up. The first 2 times she believed me, the 3rd she became a little bit skeptical, and now I know I'm going to have to make up another story. Another lie, another secret I have to keep hidden.

Why do people beat me up? I'm not a dork. I'm not a badass. I'm not emo. I'm certainly not gay, but they think I am. That's why I get beat up. The only place I feel safe to be myself is the theater, so I spend most of my time there. I'm around girls all the time, and they all know that I'm not gay, but their boyfriends don't. "Get out of here, girl", they say, and shove me.

I reach the bus, halfway home. I hop on, pay the fair and find a seat in the back. I shove on my headphones and tune out the world. Music and acting. I can pretend that I'm not a reject for only 1 short hour.

The bus begins to go, the motion almost instantly lulling me to sleep. 'Macklemore same love' plays in my headphones. Suddenly the lulling jerks to a halt. I sit up. Someone else has boarded the already-full bus.

I look up, and there stands the most beautiful girl I have ever laid eyes on. Her blonde hair shimmers in the afternoon light, her blue grey eyes look intelligent, and even though she is short, she stands tall and proud, making her seem strong. No seats are left except for the two-seater I now occupy, sprawled across the entire seat. Her eyes surf the rows, looking for a place to sit when she spots me. She boldly makes her way over and says "Scoot over, please." I quickly jerk my bag to the floor and sit up, pushing myself as far towards the wall as I possibly can. The way she carries herself scares me, she radiates power.

The bus begins to move again, but she isn't ready. Her body is smacked towards me. I catch her shoulder, keeping her head from smacking into the window on the other side. "Thanks." She says, and her eyes glide away as she sits up abruptly. It is silent for a long minute. Whispering now, she turns to me "What's your name?"

"Thomas. Thomas Anderson."

"I'm Isabel. Isabel Allery."

That short conversation was the start of something big.

"Hi." I whispered back.

"What are you listening to?" she asks, still quiet.

"Macklemore, same love."

"Can I listen, too?" she asks.

I simply nod and hand her an ear bud. She cuddles her head into her backpack and settles in for the ride. "Where's your stop?" I ask.

She looks up. "second to last, you?" She lived in the Beverly hills district. Why was someone as rich as her taking the bus?

"Very last stop." I told her. I lived at the end of town. The poorest of slums. For the four of us, my mom, me, and my two older brothers, we had 2 bedrooms, one bathroom, and a living and dining area. That was all. Her house must have been at least 20 times the size of mine! Yet, she rode the bus. Her manner confused me. I wanted to learn more about her. I wanted to make friends with her. Honestly, I wanted to be more than friends. She was…perfect.

We sat quietly for the next half hour, just listening to music and being with each other. Finally, the dreaded stop came. She rose slowly and turned to me.

"When will I see you again?" She asked, intelligent eyes as wide as saucers.

"Tomorrow on the way home." I said breathlessly.

"Bye, Thomas Anderson." She said, and glided off the bus and down the stairs without ever looking back.

"Bye." I whispered. To whom, I didn't know. To her, I guess it was supposed to be, but she was long gone. My words were carried away into the open bus, mingled and tainted with the gossip of other people on their way home. Would I see her again? I wasn't sure, but I hoped so. I really hoped so.

(Isabel's POV)

I arrived home to a dark house, silent except for my mother's everlasting sobs, still thinking about the peculiar boy. Except for the bloody lip and black eye, he was rather attractive. Something about his aura made him seem different from other boys his age. Even though he lived a whole bus stop away from me, I was sure he had about the same amount of money as us. We couldn't afford our Beverly hills address, anymore.

At the end of the month, we were out. We'd be living on the streets. My dad had been the owner of a successful computer company, always on the phone and never spending time with me and my mom. Until he lost his job about 2 months ago. He was a mess. We had about $400,000 dollars left. He gambled and drank half of it away. The other half, he took and packed up with a few of his possessions one night, not even leaving a note or saying goodbye, and left.

My mom had never gone to college, considering she met dad in 12th grade and had me the following year. She was useless. Currently the only income we had was mine from babysitting and doing whatever small jobs I could on the weekends. "Mom I'm home!" I shouted into the darkness. As usual, there was no reply.

Today was November 9th. 21 days. 21 days was all I had to find a new home, or pull an enormous sum of money out of nowhere to save my home. How was I going to do this? Maybe Thomas would have an idea, if I ever decided to tell him. He seemed like a smart guy. But did I want my new friend to know what I truly was? Scum, living in a big house. I didn't want him to know. Yet. But something below a level of my immediate conscious told me that somehow, that boy going to be a huge part of my life. And I didn't mind, not one bit.

(Thomas's POV)

I trudged up my rickety front steps, trying to open and close the door silently so that I could slip upstairs and hide my bumps and bruises with some stage makeup, but today wasn't my lucky day. Ricky, my oldest brother, heard me come in. He looked up from where he was doing his homework at the kitchen table. Upon seeing my appearance, he sighed. "You got beat up again, little bro." He stated. "Yeah and I don't want to talk about it, ok? Oh and please don't tell mom." My two older brothers knew why I was getting beat up and by who, but there was nothing they could do about it except "not tell mom".

"Tommy we can't let this go on!" My brother covered his mouth and looked down, trying not to cry. He was the oldest, the head of the family, so he had to be strong. He had always been a great student and he got accepted to a lot of colleges, but he chose our community college so he could stay home and take care of the family. Ever since our dad died, he'd gotten thinner. Worrying about my mom and me and my other brother and keeping the house. It'd taken huge physical and mental tolls on him. Now he had to deal with my problems, too. I didn't want him interfering anymore than he had to.

I skidded upstairs as fast as possible to avoid the slowly worsening situation. I slipped into the bathroom and shut the door, turning the lock shut with a satisfying click. I was a mess. I thought about Isabel. She was probably inside her warm, brightly lit home, enjoying something delicious with a perfect family. Thinking about her gave me a weird premonition that we were going to help each other out in the long run. How wasn't clear, but I didn't mind. Not one bit.

(Isabel's POV)

Today was only Tuesday. The school day dragged on. All I could think about was the bus ride home, and the boy. Finally, 3:30 came. "Class dismissed." Mrs. Ravendella droned in her harsh voice, the sound was like grating nails over a chalkboard. I shot up out of my seat and speed-walked for the door. When I was finally out of Los Angeles County High School, I breathed a sigh of relief, and then took off at a run. I looked at my watch as I ran, muttering swears under my breadth, praying that I wouldn't miss the 3:35 bus. That was the one Thomas was on.

I reached the bus stop just as the bus was pulling up. I smiled and ran up the stairs. I put my $1.50 fare into the machine and quickly began searching faces for Thomas. When my eyes finally settled on his scruffy brown hair, I sped-walked my way over and plopped myself down. His face was towards the window and he wouldn't look at me. "Hey Thomas, what's up?" I whispered in my high girly voice.

"Nothin'. Just nothin'. He whispered back before finally turning to face me. I couldn't help myself. I let out a gasp. Knife-marked into his right cheek was a word. One gruesome word that sure to leave a scar on his beautiful face for life.

The word in bulky, thick, bloody lettering was BITCH.

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I know, it's kinda sad but I think it's one of my better stories. And don't worry, it will get happier.

-8tickles :)


	2. Chapter 2

Hi everybody! Sorry for the delay, shout out to Pottergirl for being patient, unfortunately my creativity doesn't move very fast so I thank you guys for waiting. When I start a story, I just sort of role with what I have and hope something comes from it from there. oen more shout out. Sorry Bloody, this isn't vampiric, it's my own creation.

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(Isabel's POV)

Instead of being disgusted or sad or even weirded out, I felt nothing but pure rage at whoever had branded Thomas's face. I felt myself beginning to tear up, so I turned the other way. I was not about to be weak in front of this boy who could possibly save my life.

(Thomas's POV)

This time Jase McMillen and his posse had gone too far, making my one friend think that I was gay was the final straw. Outside, I was nothing but sad. Inside, I was in a blind rage. Tomorrow at school, I was going to end this fight. It wouldn't be pretty, but at this point it was absolutely necessary.

I zoned out on the bus ride home, considering Isabel couldn't and wouldn't even look at me. I didn't know what I was going to do yet, but whatever it was, it had to be drastic. The chances of Isabel finding out were about one in a million, but in the situation that she did, it wouldn't make much difference considering how low she already thinks about me. She's probably wishing right now that she wasn't sitting next to me in this seat. _Creepy gay guy who gets branded, ew! _She must be thinking right now.

(Isabel's POV)

Thomas seemed locked away today, and all I wanted to do was reach out and touch the mark on his cheek, tell him that it was ok, and whoever did that needed to be taught a lesson. I wanted to comfort him, tell him that I was still there for him, but I didn't dare reach out to him in this state. My mom would always try to take my dad's hand after he'd had a bad day at work to make him feel better, but he would always shake her off and backhand her across the face. She never stopped trying to please him, though. Every time she would reach out to him, and every time she'd get slapped across the face. I was going to keep my friend.

(Thomas's POV)

Isabel stared at me for a while before turning away. Funny thing though was that she wasn't staring at the mark, she was staring at ME. That much, I could tell. But I kept my face turned away, anyhow and settled in for the long ride. After a while, she started to talk. "Thomas…"

"Don't." I cut her off. "Just be quiet, please." I begged while still never facing her.

"But Thomas!" she started again.

"Don't or I'll have to do something drastic." I raised my voice.

"Like what?" She raised her vocal chords to meet my level.

"Like this." I whipped around and kissed her. It was only a second or two long, but it felt like a millennium. I pulled back just long enough to see her expression of total shock before I faced the window again.

"Like that." I muttered. It was silent for a while. I began to worry that she would never speak to me again. Finally, painfully, her stop came. As she was getting up, she bent down to me and whispered in my ear: "You can shut me up like that anytime."

My mouth fell open and gawked at her as she walked away. "Whaa?" Was all I could muster. I reached up and touched my mouth, still tingling and fizzing from feeling her lips and hearing her words. Suddenly I couldn't wait for tomorrow to come. I couldn't wait for the bus ride home. I couldn't wait to tell her to be quiet again.

(Isabel's POV)

He's definitely not gay. This revelation leaves my heart high and my new emotions for Thomas happy. Maybe, just maybe, if I'm lucky, he'll kiss me again. He was my first kiss, and hopefully he'll be my second, too! I skipped down the street, temporarily forgetting about my home life, for once.

I pushed through the front door and screamed "HELLO MOTHER!" as loud as possible. There was no response, not even the usual sobbing. Maybe she stopped crying. That's not really an option. Maybe she went to the store. Not really an option, either.

"Mom?" I dropped my bag on the floor of the dark house and walked inside. She was lying on the couch, asleep. That was my first thought until I took a careful step closer. Nothing. No motion, nothing.

Only then did I see the note pinned to her stomach along with the pill bottles and whiskey on the side table. I floored over and ripped the tack out of her stomach to read the note. It said:

I can't stand life anymore. Go figure it out on your own.

Love, Mom

I began to cry. I curled up in a ball and cried for I don't know how long. After a while I brushed away the angry, sad, salty tears long enough to call the police and ask them to come and get her body. I didn't want to be there when they arrived, so I sped up the stairs and packed a small bag with toothpaste, a toothbrush, one of my mom's last credit cards left that still worked, and a change of clothes. Without thinking about what I was doing, I sped back down the stairs and never looked back. I shut the door silently as if it would keep my mom from waking up. Who was I kidding? She would never wake again.

Now where was I going to go? Is stood for a minute, thinking. All of my relatives left were either old, dead, or lived in Canada, and there was no way I was going to Canada. Suddenly I knew where I wanted to go. The place where I would feel safe was with Thomas.

I looked at my watch. Right now it was 5:46. I could catch the 6 o'clock bus to the end of town and be there by 6:30. That's what I'd do! But I had no clue where Thomas lived, other than at then end of town.

I didn't have his address or anything. I shrugged on my backpack and walked the block to the bus stop. The bus couldn't come quick enough. When it pulled up at our stop, I hopped on and handed the bus driver my newly acquired credit card. He looked at me funny, but it got me on the bus. I headed straight back towards our usual seat, but there was a lady sitting there quietly knitting, so I took the empty spot in front of her.

We made it to the end of town in under 30 minutes. Now came the hard part: finding Thomas's home. The first house on the block was a tiny wooden shack, rotten and clearly unlived in, or so I thought, until I walked across the front lawn and the blinds in the window shot down so fast I might as well have been a terrorist. "Never mind then…" I muttered, and kept walking. The never next house I came to looked promising, but I had the same effect on the occupants when I walked by. What was going on here? I wasn't THAT out of place, was I?

I shuffled past dozens more houses where the same thing happened until I came to one of the nicer houses for the area, where the blinds weren't instantly slammed shut. I hauled myself carefully up the rickety old steps and banged on the door. I waited a minute, then two. After seeing a face in the window off to the right then hearing the chain being slid into place, the front door opened up a crack.

"What do you want?" An older boy with skin as dark as the night itself asked.

"Um is there a Thomas at this residence?" I asked politely. Suddenly he looked at me with renewed interest and said, "Yeah, why?"

"I'm…I'm a friend from school. I need to talk to him. It's kinda important." He looked around for a second, then replied, "Holdon a second." He shut the door.

I heard him sliding back the chain. "Come in, quickly!" Without a thought, I slipped inside Thomas's front door.

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Hoep y'all like it, I apologize about the long wait last time, I'll try to be faster this time. Thanks everybody and as always, ENJOY!

-8Tickles


	3. Chapter 3

Hi everyone! I apologize for it being a REALLY, REALLY long time. I got caught up in helping one of my friends with his story, so go check him out! His user name's alloutassaulthorizon, he's awesome, and we're sorta co-writing a story of his together. I'll try to update faster, I'm actually a bigger updater during the school week than on weekends. As always, ENJOY!

-8tickles

P.S Shout out to mum2shane, pottergirl, bloody, and alloutassaulthorizon for commenting, it means more than you'll ever know to me!

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(Isabel's POV)

The older boy slammed the door behind me as I slid down against the wall into a crouch, burying my face in my knees. I fought back the need to cry, instead focusing on the numbness tingling just below the surface of my messed up pool of emotions that I called a life. I looked up at the boy, forcing myself into a poker face. He raised an eyebrow at me. "Ima go get my brother." He began slowly backing away from me, turning around every second or so to see if I was still there on the floor and hadn't made a break for it.

He slipped up the stairs two at a time, all the while calling, "Tommy! Thomas! Thomas! THOMAS!" with his calls becoming louder and more incessant every time. A door slammed open and closed. I heard a foot stomp on the floor, followed by the boy's voice growling threats and swear words. Finally, the door opened and was quickly pulled shut. Then, Thomas appeared at the top of the stairs, looking like a god, as usual.

I thought about the mark on his cheek, then my mom, and I lost it. I let the tears come and sobbed. So much had happened in the last day, it was too much to take in. As soon as Thomas saw me crying, he nearly tripped over his own two feet he moved down the stairs so fast. He flung himself down the landing and was by my side in a split second.

"What's wrong?! Is it me?!"

"No…I…I'm homeless and parentless."

"Oh my god." Was all he could muster.

"Yea." I said, then he pulled me into his lap and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me tight against his chest. He pressed his face to mine, the scar on his cheek rough from the closing wounds. After a while, my sobbing dwindled to crying, then to little sniffles, finally ending when he rocked me to sleep, tear-stains dried on my face, too stressed out to do anything but sleep. It was not a peaceful slumber. I woke up once or twice, nervous when I didn't remember where I was, until everything came rushing back and the tears would flood my cheeks, once again. Every time, Thomas would quiet me down and hum a lovely tune until I relaxed enough to close my eyes.

Night fell, and my stomach began growling at me. Slowly and shakily, I rose to my feet. Thomas came up right behind me, ready to support me if I were to fall. He wrapped an arm around my waist, his much lighter skin tone making me remember he darkness of his brother's. "Why do you and your brother look so different?" I murmured, still a little groggy.

"My mother is black, my father was white. Both of my brothers resemble my mom, while I look much more like my dad." With his curly black hair, warm golden skin tone and rich cocoa eyes, I never would have guessed that his mom was black. "Where is everybody?" I turned so that I could see him, our faces only inches from touching.

"Ricky, my oldest brother, left for work about an hour ago, my mom isn't home yet, and I have no idea where Jack is, as usual. We'll go for days on end sometimes, then he comes home and mom starts interrogating him about where he was, and he won't say a word. Com'on, I'll go make us dinner." He grabbed my hand and tugged me down the short hall and into the kitchen. It was quaint but neat and tidy with laminate counter tops and cupboards in a pale blue-grey color. A square, rickety plastic table with old bar stools was centered under a huge hanging light that cast a warm glow throughout the room. An old refrigerator in the same blue-grey color was snuggled into a corner. The only signs that a family lived here were only evident in a few places. Homework was spread across the table. A note to buy milk was taped to the fridge. A pair of shoes that were flung carelessly under the table.

I pulled out one of the stools and plopped down, splaying out my arms and resting my head in the nook of darkness I'd just created. My life had been spinning slowly in a downward spiral, just waiting to collapse; now, the wave of aftereffects crashing down on my shoulders, pressing down on my very soul. It'd just been too much. What was I going to do?

(Thomas's POV)

The whole time I'd held her, my heart was racing faster than a freight train rumbling down the tracks, unstoppable and ready to hit anything in its course. I was sure she would notice, but she didn't. Now that she sat at the table with her head down, I could stare at the back of her normally shiny blonde hair, flopped around at funny angles because she'd slept on me for so long. I put two patties of meat in a pan on the stove and waited, watching very carefully. A few minutes passed, and the burgers were ready. I dug some hamburger buns out of the pantry, added lettuce, cheese and tomato, and placed her plate in front of her on the table while taking mine to the opposite side. She raised her head and picked up the burger, delicately pulling off a tiny piece before she set it down again.

"I don't think I can eat, anymore." She sighed. I tried to lighten the mood. "Don't make me come over there and force-feed you." I attempted a smile. She just sighed again. _Give her some space you genius. _We sat in quiet for a few minutes until her hunger won out and she ate about half of the hamburger.

"Do you want to go to bed now?" I asked her. She just nodded. I got up and offered her a hand. She took it and wouldn't let go. I led her upstairs and into my room. "Holdon just a sec." She looked down and nodded vaguely, dropping my hand.

I rooted through a drawer and found a clean t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants that didn't look too big. "Bathroom's down the hall to the right." For the first time in many hours, she looked up at me and smiled. Damn it. There went my heart rate again. She took the clothes and slipped down the short hallway.

As I pulled out the trundle bed that stores under mine and began to set it up, I hummed "Same love" by Macklemore while I worked. _No laws gonna change us. We have to change us. _


	4. Chapter 4

Hi everyone chapter 4 finally up! I think I'm only gonna do another chapter or two, but if u guys want me to do more, please comment telling me so, I love comments! So this chapter is like a roller coaster, A LOT of ups and downs, but I personally love it. I might love this ship as much as Andrew and Paige in one of my other stores...So hope you guys like, comment, favorite, PM me, and as always, ENJOY!

-8tickles

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(Thomas's POV)

Her crying woke me in the middle of the night. Turns out she'd woken up, scared and disoriented, remembered where she was and why she was there, and it was too much to take in. I tried to tell her to go back to bed, and she rolled over on the trundle and flipped around like a fish out of water for a few minutes before whispering, "Thomas are you awake?"

"Yea. You ok?"

"No…I can't fall back asleep! Can…Can I sleep with you?" She sobbed.

I sighed. "Sure. C'mere." I heard her tip-toe across the dark floor and felt the whisper of sheets as she slipped in next to me. I rolled over and put an arm around her waist, tugging her close. She curled into a ball and snuggled her head under my neck while I cushioned her head with my arm. She released a sigh and pressed tighter against me, her sobbing stopping almost immediately because she felt safe with me. It felt…right. She drifted off after a few minutes, and I must have followed suit pretty soon, because I never heard Jack come in.

(Isabel's POV)

I woke up the next morning and immediately remembered that I was somewhere safe. Thomas's arms. I sighed and stretched a little, trying not to wake him…unsuccessfully. "Good morning." His throat thrummed against the top of my head. "Good morning to you, too, bedhead." I said.

I popped up and began fixing my hair in the mirror, concerned about how I looked for him. He chuckled and rolled out of bed, too, stroking my cheek on the way to the bathroom. As soon as he left, I shut the door and locked it so that I could get dressed in private. I pulled out the outfit I'd grabbed in the frenzy to get out of my house yesterday and was pleased with myself. It was a pair of jeans and a blue sweater with a dark blue tank top. I fished in my bag some more and found my makeup, toothbrush, and hairbrush before heading out to wait for my turn in the bathroom. Thomas came out a second later in jeans and an "Oklahoma" t-shirt. I slipped past him and got ready as quickly as possible before heading out to face reality.

Thomas was waiting for me with bacon and eggs in the kitchen, along with another surprise. Another boy just a little bit older than Thomas sat at the kitchen table. He had Thomas's good looks, but he was more buff and his skin was a tiny bit darker. "Isabel meet Jack." Thomas said stiffly when he saw me coming.

"Ah, so you're Tommy's bed buddy, not a bad pick to do, little bro!" The older boy threw back his head and laughed. "Oh wait you couldn't have been doing anything dirty with HER though, considering that you're more gay than a kid on Christmas." Although Thomas never turned around, the tips of his ears turned scarlet red. If Thomas wasn't going to stand up for himself, I would.

"He is not, for your information, gay and your brother happens to be one of the best guys I've ever met, unlike you. It was not nice meeting you!" And with that, I turned around and glided over to Thomas and kissed him with as much strength, passion and command as I could muster. I pulled away and glided over to the counter where I perched myself, finally looking up to meet the faces of two very astonished brothers. For a second, no one moved. Them slowly, a grin split Thomas's face. Jack just stared at his eggs before muttering "Damn. Damn, Damn, Damn." Suddenly jack shoved his plate aside and attempted to get up slowly and nonchalantly, obviously holding back excitement. "Be back tomorrow, bro!" he screeched, and skidded out the side door.

"Well that was interesting…" Thomas murmured. "Want some eggs?"

"No I'm good, we're going to miss the bus to school, and we have to swing by my house and grab my backpack!" I shrieked in remembrance.

We sped out the font door, just in time to catch the bus. As I stepped on behind Thomas, I heard him ask the bus driver to stop at Beverly Hills and wait for us for a second. He gave us a strange look but obliged. We reached my dreaded house. In one way, I didn't want to go in alone. In another way, I didn't want Thomas to see my house. The loneliness won over.

"Thomas will you come in with me? I don't wanna go by myself."

"Sure." He smiled reassuringly at me and took my hand. I led him up the stone front steps and shakily fished my key out of my bag, so afraid of what I might find inside. I pushed open the heavy front door to find…nothing.

Nothing. No furniture, no ceiling lamps, no decorations, no family photos, not a clue of what'd happened to everything familiar in my house. I couldn't call this home, anymore. I let go of Thomas's hand and raced through the house, every single room, empty. Gone without a trace. I raced down the back stairs that led to the massive kitchen, and found my only 2 clues there. In the stink, clearly flung in through the open window, was a bright red piece of paper. It read: FORCLOSURE, PROPERTY OF THE GOVERNMENT, with my address under it, and sitting on the floor, shoved into a corner, was my backpack. I crawled over to it and clutched it tightly to my chest. Life sucks.

Suddenly, an idea came to me. I bounced to my feet and flew around the kitchen, opening and slamming the drawers where the knives used to be, hoping that the government had forgotten one. And they had. In me secret compartment where I used to keep all of my trinkets and findings was my first kitchen knife from when I used to cook with my mom. I held it to my throat and began to cry. My mom had taken the easy way out, why couldn't I, too?

"Isabel? Where are you?" Thomas began to call for me after hearing my distress. "In here. In here." I whispered. I applied pressure slowly, feeling the first drops of blood hit my skin and seeing my vision grow dim at the edges. I fell to my knees with my feet tucked under me, my ultimate position of comfort. The knife dug deeper and I couldn't help it, I let out a cry of pain above the tears. Suddenly Thomas barreled into the room, nothing but a blur of colors, his eyes wide with fright and his fists balled up, ready to defend me.

Taking in the scene, he fell to his knees and ribbed the knife from my fingertips. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" He screamed, tears now streaming down his face, too, but for a totally different reason than me. I just shrugged. He cocked back his arm, turned to the window, and chucked the blade out as far as he could. He held out a hand for me to take.

I grabbed it and he slowly pulled me to my feet, and then into a tentative hug. At first, I wouldn't wrap my arms around him, until I realized that I needed his love too much to let him go. I hugged him tightly back, sobbing with no restraint into his shirt. He rested his chin on my head, and only when a drop of water fell onto my check from above me did I realize that he was sobbing, too. We stood there like that forever, and time froze for us, along with the waiting bus.

"Mrs. Ravendella is gonna kill us." He finally muttered. I gave a dry laugh, glad to release some of the tension. He grabbed my hands and looked into my eyes. "I've been meaning to do this, and why not now, eh? Do you want to officially be my girlfriend?"

I just nodded as a smile slowly crept its way up my cheeks. "Well then girlfriend, we're going to miss the bus to school if we don't hurry." And with that he scooped me up in his arms and carried me to the front hallway. "To school and beyond!" I said.

(Thomas's POV)

Today I was going to face Jase and his posse to get him to stop bullying me, but now that I had a real girlfriend for proof, it wouldn't be too hard to end this nonsense. I hoped. I was worried about Isabel. We'd gotten a Band-Aid from the bus driver with the explanation that she'd run into an art display, but the fact that she'd even tried to commit suicide put me on edge. What if I hadn't stopped her in time? People would think I'd murdered her.

I stared at her out of the corner of my eye. She lay with her head on my shoulder, sound asleep, makeup redone, pretty as a picture. How did someone like me get a girl like her? Beats me. I just know that I'm the luckiest guy in the world.

Jase was waiting for me at my locker, as usual. "Hey you little bitch get over here!" Jase chuckled and all of his friends laughed profusely, even though it wasn't funny. I squared my shoulders got a running start. I dashed towards the other boy, catching him off guard. I pulled back my fist at an angle, my knuckles clenched into a fist. _This is for you, Isabel, _I thought. And with that, I threw everything I had into one punch. It paid off. My fist connected with bone, hitting Jase square in the nose.

He reeled back, hands clawing at his face in agony. I came at him again, kicking him in the gut and causing him to double over. "I am not gay, never have I been gay, and nor am I a coward. If one of us is a coward, it's you for beating the crap out of someone who you thought was less than you, and I don't appreciate it. I act to get away from guys like you, but now I'm done acting, and you're paying the price." As I started to walk away, I turned around backwards and said, "Oh and just by the way, I'm dating Isabel Allery, and don't even think about coming after me when I turn around and walk away, because I don't wanna deal with your face ever again."

* * *

Ahhhhhh Thomas found his voice, yay!

-8tickles


End file.
